México Report
Sierra Vista, Arizona, March 21, 2023
Brethren,
We just returned from our spring trip to Sinaloa to meet with, teach, and encourage the brethren in the small congregation of Las Flores. It is a trip of approximately 600 miles one way to the small farming village in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. The travelers with me were my wife Virginia, son Tim, and Cesar from the border town of Nogales, MX. If you follow the news, you may have heard of recent violence to Americans in Mexico. There are various drug cartels that fight each other and sometimes Americans get in the middle. We had many people advising us not to go to Mexico, but we prayed about it and decided to make the trip. There are always a number of checkpoints along the way, but brother Cesar is our spokesman at these locations. The Lord blessed us and we had no problems.
Our trip was a short trip of 6 days; two days each way for travel and two days in Las Flores. Each night we stayed in the city of Los Mochis and then traveled to Las Flores. We met with the brethren on Saturday and had a good Bible study and singing. On Sunday, we returned and had a Sunday assembly. In the afternoon we had another Bible study and singing. The trip was successful in encouraging the brethren in Sinaloa. The brethren have some health issues. Brother Juan had to go to the hospital to get checked out for a heart attack; his blood sugar was also high. Sister Lorena has been diagnosed with Leukemia and is starting chemotherapy. There are other problems as well, but let me just request that you pray for the brethren there.
We continue to meet with the church in the border town of Nogales, MX one Saturday a month to encourage them. The church in Nogales appears to be doing well.
We also continue to meet with the church in the border town of Agua Prieta (AP), MX one Saturday a month. I previously reported that brother Pepe passed away from a heart attack on January 6th. He was the main leader of the church in AP so he will be greatly missed. There is only one other brother in the small congregation, brother Arturo, who is 90 years old. With brother Pepe gone, the problem is how to conduct the assemblies. Brother Arturo has offered to conduct the Wednesday study. The brethren in Nogales have decided to support the church in AP with leaders for the Sunday assembly. I really appreciate the desire of the brethren in Nogales to support the church in AP. The problem is that to get from Nogales to AP requires a trip of three hours one way over a mountain pass. The brethren do have vehicles to travel, but this extra travel is expensive at over $100 each week for gasoline and food. Since the brethren are poor to begin with, I feel we should help them with the expense if they are willing to travel. Can you help with this extra expense? I have some funds but more is needed.
Brother Eiland from Deming, NM continues to joins us in our meeting with the church in Agua Prieta. From there he goes on to Nogales and spends about a week working with the brethren there.
I have added some pictures at the bottom.
Please pray for the brethren in Mexico and for the success of the Lord’s work there.
In His service
Ed Anderson
The travelers to Las Flores (myself, Virginia, Tim, Cesar)
The church building in Las Flores
Group Picture in Las Flores
Brother Mariano leading the assembly
Brother Abdon and Sister Lorena of Los Mochis
Brother Abel reading an encouragement in the assembly in Nogales 18 March.